Flee
Flee, also known as Run away[1] (Run Away in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door), and Run in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, is an action used in the Mario role-playing games. Flee allows the player to attempt to run away from battle, leaving the enemy behind. However, some enemies, or more specifically bosses, cannot be fled from. In some games, the player will lose coins when they flee; however, they can pick them right back up in a few games. After the player flees, the enemy will freeze in place while flashing for a few seconds, making it so that the player cannot enter a battle with them for a moment. Fleeing can be used by enemies as well, mainly those who give off a lot of coins and experience points when defeated.
History
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the player can flee by pushing 
and selecting the option in the menu. If successful, all party members will run off-screen away from the enemies, with the screen fading to black and transitioning back to the overworld. If not successful, the player will waste that character's turn. Enemies like Crooks and Sackits can also flee from battle, most of the time before the player even gets a turn due to their high speed. The enemies in Bowser's Keep, like Gu Goombas, will also flee if Bowser is in the party at the time.
The item See Ya, when used, will allow Mario and his allies to run away from any battle, with the exclusion of bosses and other important battles.
Paper Mario series
Paper Mario
In Paper Mario, the player can flee from battle by selecting the "Run Away" command from "Strategies" and rapidly mashing 
to fill up a bar, increasing the chance of Mario and his partner running away from battle. Once successful, Mario will return to the overworld, and coins will fly out of him and land on the ground, disappearing after a few seconds; Mario can pick these coins back up. If unsuccessful, Mario will trip, wasting his turn, and the enemies he is fighting will attack, regardless of whether his partner has attacked or not.
The "Run Away" command is disabled in mini-boss and boss battles; Mario must win those battles at all costs in order for the game to progress.
Enemies who can flee from battle include:
- Bandits, after stealing coins from Mario
- Tubba Blubba, after Mario becomes invisible by Repel Gel or Lady Bow's Outta Sight (only inside Tubba Blubba's Castle)
- The Shy Squad, with only a few members remaining (after at least two turns)
- Crazee Dayzees, at low HP
- Amazy Dayzee, almost always on its first turn
- All Magikoopas, when alone (except the one Mario must fight after receiving a Lucky Star from Twink)
Tubba Blubba flees after Bow hides Mario with Outta Sight
The Shy Squad flees after losing many members
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, fleeing functions the same way as it did in the previous installment; by rapidly mashing 
, Mario and his partner can run away from battle, losing coins once they return to the overworld. The returning Bandits and their derivatives may flee after they steal something from Mario, and other enemies, such as Amazy Dayzees, can also flee from battle.
Like in the previous installment, Mario cannot flee from mini-boss and boss battles. Unlike the first Paper Mario, a "Can't flee this fight!" message appears when Mario enters such battles to indicate that he must win those battles at all costs in order for the game to progress.
When Mario is reduced to a shadow, he is required to flee when he enters a battle with Doopliss (who has taken Mario's appearance) after failing to guess the latter's real name (due to having removed the lower-case letter P), despite Doopliss ordering him not to run.
A Crazee Dayzee flees from battle
Super Paper Mario
Due to the game dropping the role-playing mechanics, fleeing is not readily present in Super Paper Mario. Though, during the battle with the Underchomps, which plays out like an RPG, the player can flee from the battle, though it does not always work.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, fleeing returns, and is almost identical to how it works in the first two Paper Mario titles. However, Mario has a chance of tripping over while trying to flee, causing it to waste a turn. Mario can also flee from bosses, though this usually fails.
Paper Mario: Color Splash
In Paper Mario: Color Splash, fleeing works similarly to how it did in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Sombrero Guys have a high chance of fleeing from battle but can be defeated with powerful cards. The Compass also allows Mario to flee any enemy battle.
Paper Mario: The Origami King
In Paper Mario: The Origami King, fleeing works the same as in the previous two Paper Mario games. The flee command is only available during the lineup phase of a battle. However, Mario cannot flee in the first three battles. Like in the first two Paper Mario games, he cannot flee from bosses.
Mario & Luigi series
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario and Luigi can flee battle by selecting the flee Command Block. When they do, they will start to run away from the enemies, losing coins in the process. When this happens, the player must rapidly mash 
and 
to make them run off-screen. Occasionally, they will trip and fall over, losing even more coins. When they successfully flee from battle, the game returns to the overworld. When a brother is down, the other brother will carry them on their shoulders when fleeing. Enemies like Gold Beanies have a high chance of fleeing if not defeated quickly, Ice Snifits and Clumphs can flee if their parkas and wigs, respectively, are burnt off by Mario's Firebrand moves. Bosses like Popple and Jojora can also flee if their respective partners are defeated before them.
In the remake, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, fleeing works exactly like it did in the Mario & Luigi titles following Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, meaning the player does not lose coins when fleeing, and does not need to mash the respective buttons in order to flee.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, in addition to Mario and Luigi, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi can also flee from battle. Fleeing itself works similarly to how it did previously, though now the player can cancel the action by pressing 
, though this wastes a turn. Enemies like Pidgits with a sack and Gold Koopeleons have a high chance of fleeing the battle. Dark Boos will flee after stealing an item for the Bros. on the next turn if not defeated quickly.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, fleeing works the same way as it did in the previous two games, and since Bowser is a playable character, he can also flee from battle. Chuboombas can flee from battle once Bowser inhales their lollipops, Trashures and Dark Trashures have a chance of fleeing once they open up and are not defeated quickly, Mechawful Heads may flee if not inhaled, and Dark Mechawful Heads will flee if all enemies are defeated before they are inhaled.
In the remake, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, fleeing works similar to how it did in the 3DS Mario & Luigi games.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, fleeing works differently than it did previously, as Mario and Luigi now instantly run away from the enemies without penalty. A few enemies, like Gold Beanies if the player fails to counterattack them properly and Bandits after stealing coins from the brothers, both respectively flee the battle on the following turn.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, fleeing is similar to how it is done in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, with Paper Mario being able to flee as well since he is a new playable character. Enemies like Ant Troopers, Urchins, and Paper Sombrero Guys can also flee from the battle.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | にげる[2] Nigeru |
Flee |
| Chinese (simplified) | 逃跑[3] Táopǎo |
Flee |
| Spanish | Huir |
Flee |
References
- ^ Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars English instruction booklet, pg. 29
- ^ Super Mario RPG Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 29
- ^ From iQue's localization of Paper Mario: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj23Urolr1I (30:05)
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